Yasmin & Yaz Survivors

Joined: 11 Oct 2010 Posts: 252 : Items

I'm on my eight month off and I'm STILL short of breath. I've had several ct scans and d-dimer always comes back negative. Does anyone still have this or had this for a LONG time like I did. I'm terrified.

Joined: 25 Aug 2010 Posts: 195 : Items

Hey girl yes im having that right now too, having abdominal pain with it though. Last mth and this mth have been my worst..yes after this long. Went to endo today with no real results..feel like death

Joined: 11 Oct 2010 Posts: 252 : Items

I'm sorry Kelly. Sad

I'd have to say that this month has been pretty bad for me too.

I got bloodwork back from my dermatologist and it looks like I've got anemia. Plus my potassium was a bit low. Gotta take those B vitamins and double up on bananas I guess!...sigh...

Joined: 27 Apr 2007 Posts: 665 : Items

Hello Lindsey,

An old member just texted me awhile ago with good news. She was anaemic after coming off from the pill and she has started to include some raw fruit/veggie juices in her diet. I also notified her about the Blood Type Diet as she is an A, she has benefited from consuming the fruit/veggie juices. Lately she has included spinach in her regimen and am so glad today that she told me her blood test shown she is not anaemic anymore!
Thought I should share this with you...

Leni

Joined: 11 Oct 2010 Posts: 252 : Items

Thank you Leni,
That's really good to know. I'll try and incorporate more veggies into my diet. I had problems with iron before I went on the pill, so this really sucks to be going through again. And I often wonder about the older members who aren't active anymore and people who have posted a few times. I want to know how they're feeling but I'm hoping no news is good news!

Joined: 05 Jun 2010 Posts: 271 : Location: Texas Items

Shortness of Breath was one of my worst symptoms coming off and I still occasionally get it. Have you noticed that it gets worse after you eat? I have heard 2 different explanations for it.

Joined: 25 Aug 2010 Posts: 195 : Items

What are the explanations you've heard about? Mine tends to go hand and ahnd with the nausea, like im cant catch my breath

Joined: 26 Jun 2010 Posts: 98 : Items

Hello Lindseybee! There is nothing mysterious about what you're experiencing and nothing to be terrified about. In fact, you have control of how quickly you will recover. As I said in the past, you're failing to make the connections. It's easy to say, "Yaz affects your potassium." That is true, but have you asked yourself exactly how it does? If you do, you will see that in your specific case, reasoning ELIMINATES Yaz from the list of possible causes of your hypokalemia. Yaz in fact INCREASES your potassium level and causes excess excretion of sodium. So, it stands to reason that you would in fact have felt better with respect to hypokalemia during your intake of Yaz. Well, look at your list of signs and symptoms whilst on Yaz vs whilst off Yaz. Yep, exactly what I thought (i.e.., hypokalemia signs and symptoms were absent). Furthermore, according to you, you restored your potassium level as of the ending of last year. What is logical is that there are other causes of your continual hypokalemia. My hypothesis is that there is something fundamentally wrong with your nutritional practice and possibly supplements you are taking.

As for shortness of breath, there are many causes. In your case, though, it isn't hard to posit a likely cause: anemia. But anemia itself has different causes. And sometimes it isn't just a direct, obvious matter such as "iron caused it." It is sometimes more complicated with interactions of different elements. The bottom line is, you have the right idea about nutrition, but it is apparent you do not fully understand it and are therefore failing to make the connections (including its connection to the thyroid test results) and unaware of the right approach to recovery. At the rate you are going, it would take you ten years to recover, if you even make it that far. Do not cause yourself continual and unnecessary suffering.

Joined: 11 Oct 2010 Posts: 252 : Items

I'm confused a lot of the time by your comments yas. Honestly, sometimes you can come across as very condescending. We're all struggling with these pills and the last thing we need is invalidation. My potassium wasn't under normal range when I was tested, but it was almost there(3.8.) I've been trying my darnedest to eat healthier and I think it's rude of you to assume that I haven't been. Obviously I've experienced hypokalemia once, and I want to avoid it. I've been eating bananas, potatoes, and drinking orange juice as much as possible. You could be right about my intake, but there are other causes for hypokalemia. You should look it up.

Joined: 27 Apr 2007 Posts: 665 : Items

Hmmm... I do not like what I have read here. Yasvictors, I am not sure if you are one of us who has to go through what the pills have done to us. Believe me, we have tried our best to get heal - I doubt anyone here would want to get so sick. Would be most grateful if anyone who has used your service (who has fully recovered) and willing to share out their success story.

Joined: 26 Jun 2010 Posts: 98 : Items

Hi Leni! I am not in any way saying that no one is trying. I do think, though, that sometimes we get caught up in the emotions that we lose track of our goals.

In Lindseybee's case, I am not dismissing the role of Yaz. If you notice, I didn't say anything about Yaz's role in the shortness of breath she's experiencing. However, I am saying clearly as far as hypokalemia (i.e., low potassium level) that Yaz is NOT responsible for what she experienced and is experiencing. It was at best indirectly a contributor by causing a decrease in appetite, whether directly or indirectly.

It is hard to explain things sometimes. Sometimes you need to experience what someone is saying to understand it. I guess I have been unable to convey the underlying point. To put it in another way: There is a connection between drugs and your nutritional levels. Drugs function by shifting the balance in nutrients. But drugs are not the only players in balancing nutrients. Other things including your environment and primarily foods--the one thing nature felt essential to incorporate into your daily lives--are players too . And these other things are not always independent. They affect each other by affecting nutrient balances. If you read those DO NOT lists in prescription inserts, notice they say, for example, DO NOT eat potassium-rich foods or take potassium supplements if you're on Yaz; DO NOT take calcium supplements if you're on some antacid, etc. (or "tell your doctor if...") There is a reason for that, but many consumers don't understand.

Joined: 01 Jan 2011 Posts: 67 : Items

I had low potassium levels throughout my time on Yasmin.
Once i quit my levels went back to normal.
Explain that, mr. Smartypants!

Joined: 01 Jan 2011 Posts: 67 : Items

I had low potassium levels throughout my rime on Yasmin.
Once i quit my levels went back to normal.
Explain that, mr. Smartypants!

Joined: 11 Oct 2010 Posts: 252 : Items

You'll probably ignore this question but did you even take one of these pills yas?

Joined: 26 Jun 2010 Posts: 98 : Items

Miss uh Cleawater:

1. I would like to point out that we were talking about Yaz--not Yasmin--in this SPECIFIC case.

2. If you read carefully my previous posts, you'll find the answer to your question.

Lindseybee, no, there's no reason to ignore the question. I assume you're asking about the pills Yasmin and Yaz. If so, the answer is no, I didn't. But, EVERY single signs and symptoms you have all experienced is close to home. It doesn't stop there ... signs and symptoms even worse than slightly low potassium level.